


The Aftermath

by MeagstheWriter



Series: Paz: The Choni Guardian [1]
Category: Riverdale - Fandom
Genre: Comfort, F/F, Fluff, It’s basically the between the escape from the Sisters and when we see our girls at school, Mentions of past child abuse, some teasing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-04
Updated: 2018-04-09
Packaged: 2019-04-16 12:17:50
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 5,526
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14164674
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MeagstheWriter/pseuds/MeagstheWriter
Summary: Toni needs to figure out what to do after leaving the convent. She decides to call in an old favor that she didn’t think she would have to.





	1. The Night Of

**Author's Note:**

> I would like to blame my friend sapph for getting me obsessed with choni, because she never shuts up about them, and Vanessa Morgan because reasons. Because I haven't watched Riverdale since season one yet here I am writing fic for it.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Toni and Veronica got Cheryl out, now they need to find a place for her to stay that Penelope won't find her. The SouthSide is the best bet, but who will have the room for both Toni and Cheryl.

The car ride is mostly silent other than the sound of their ragged breath as they drive away from the convent. The adrenaline is still pumping in their ears and Veronica looks back every few miles to see if anyone is following them even as they get farther away. Cheryl is holding onto Toni with all her strength and Toni is doing the same as they sit in the backseat. Kevin makes eye contact with her through the mirror and she nods silently answering the question on his mind. She’s okay.

“Okay where are we taking her? She can’t go back to her house her mother will just send her back to that horrible place. Or worse!”

”The Southside. Her mother wants to hurt her she’ll have to come and get her from the place she hates so much. I’ll give you the directions Kevin.” 

“You sure? I can get her a room at the Pembrooke for a couple of days until we figure out something permanent.”

”We’ll let her decide, but right now she needs a shower and some real clothes. And maybe some food too and the Southside is closer.”

”Okay, okay we’ll wait for Cheryl to decide.”

Toni puts her focus back on Cheryl for the rest of the drive to her uncle’s trailer. She’s prepared for the chance that he locked her out again, she didn’t just have a crowbar in her bag of tools. She feels Cheryl curl into her and Toni instinctively pulls her closer to protect her. She wasn’t expecting to feel this much for Cheryl Blossom, but then again she wasn't expecting Cheryl Blossom either.

This red headed bombshell of a woman stormed into her life with enough drama and extra-ness to catch her attention and she's had her ever since. Toni waited for the perfect moment since the drag race to approach the Northside royalty. She didn't want her moment to be when was in an emotional crisis but Cheryl needed someone so she stepped up. 

There's a reason Toni was the leader of the Serpents for so long, she's smart and calculating when she needs to be. She knows when to take action and when to cool off, unlike Jughead where he's all action and passion. Toni waited for Cheryl, and she will wait for however long it takes to prove her worth to her. Until Cheryl is ready for her. 

Toni looks out the window periodically to see where they are, and the rest of the time watching Cheryl. She doesn't want to take her eyes off of her, but she has to because she's the only one who knows where they're going. They pull up to her uncle’s trailer and thankfully the door isn’t locked, she didn’t want to have to use force to open it. She ushers everyone in and directs Cheryl to the bathroom to shower. It’s not like what the red head is used to but they both are technically homeless now so she has to get used to the lesser things in life.

Veronica and Kevin are waiting in the living room for her to talk about what to do next. She looks at them from the back of the trailer and waits. The thing is she doesn’t know, this is one instance where she’s has no plan of action. They can’t stay at here, Toni doesn’t even stay here, and no offense to Veronica but she doesn’t want Cheryl living in the same house as her mother. She has no other options unless...

Toni reaches into the back pocket of her phone and scrolls through her contacts until she finds what she’s looking for. She absentmindedly walks into the main area where the others are as she waits for them to pick up. Kevin and Veronica watch her quietly as she paces around waiting.

”Do you have any idea what time it is little snake? Please don’t tell me I have to bail you out of jail?”

”Nope, but I do need your help. I’m calling in that favor you owe me Paz. Get decent I’m coming to you and I’m not going to be alone.”

Toni hears a sigh on the other end of the phone and holds her breath for Paz’s reply. It’s a gutsy move to call a year old favor but Toni doesn’t have anything else. This is literally a last resort for her.

”You are so lucky I am not a vengeful god. Fine. Favor called, no questions asked. You are in charge of your own transpo tho. Text when you’re outside.”

”Thank you Paz. So much.”

“Like I said you’re a lucky one snake eyes. Later.”

Toni sighs to herself when the phone call goes dead. One problem solved two more to go, and one she can deal with later. She ignores the other two and goes into the other room and grabs the bags she’s had packed for almost a month and the one she put there this afternoon. It’s sad to think that all of her things can fit in three duffel bags but there’s no time to think about that right now.

”Toni what are you doing?”

She looks up at Veronica, who looks at her confused and worried at the same time. 

“I’m getting my things, Kevin can you put these in your truck?”

“Sure.”

Kevin walks out before Veronica speaks again. She’s confused and doesn’t know how to ask without looking like a privileged rich girl.

”Your stuff? I thought you lived here?”

”Only according to the state, and not anymore. I have a better option than this and I’m taking it.”

”Is Cheryl going to be going with you or is she going with me after Kevin drops you off?”

”No offense to you Ronnie, but I would rather be with Toni right now.”

The two black clad young women turn to look at a slightly fresh faced Cheryl Blossom, dressed in a few pieces of Toni”s clothes, and hair still slightly wet. There are tear tracks on her face and her eyes are puffy, if the other two girls noticed they didn’t dare make a comment on it in order to not hurt their friend. 

“I am grateful that you helped in the rescue, but I don’t think I should live with you. Maybe if whatever TT has planned doesn’t pan out I’ll change my mind, but for now let’s wait and see.”

”Okay. I think that is best. Besides I don’t want my parents to get a hold of you and try to use you for political gain. I just wanted you to be sure of your decision.”

”Only if it gets that terrible place closed. Why doesn’t your father just build his prison there? It already feels like one on the inside.”

”I’ll run the idea by him in the morning. I’ll wait outside for the both of you.”

For the first time there is an awkward silence between her and Cheryl as they wait for Veronica to leave. She wants to ask her if she’s okay or if she’s has to go beat some nun ass, but Cheryl moves first pulling her into a kiss. Cheryl hands grip her tightly, as if she’s not really there, as if if she lets go Toni will disappear and all of this will have been a dream in between her waking nightmare. 

“Please tell me I’m not dreaming, that this is real.”

”I’m real. We rescued you from that catholic hellhole. This is real.”

“You were in my dreams when I actually slept, you came to save me in every one of them. Every morning I woke up in that terrible place I lost hope that anyone would find me. 

”Glad to know I made your dreams come true bombshell.”

”You ARE a dream come true. My knight in a shining studded leather jacket. You said you would protect me and you did. No ones ever did that before.”

”Protect you?”

”Keep their word.”

"I will continue to protect you, even when you don't need it because I care about you."

"I know you do it feels good to have someone care this much."

"We can't stay here, but I have a place you can stay at least for a little while."

"As long as I'm not going back to my horrid mother I don't care where we go. How did you even find me?"

"Your Nana Blossom called the school and told me where they took you. Nice to know that the only other good Blossom likes me too."

"I'm not good."

"You are to me. Come on let's go."

Cheryl intertwines their fingers with a soft smile and Toni smiles back. They walk out of the trailer together hand in hand to Kevin's truck to go to Paz’s place. Toni enters the address into her phone and they drive off in that direction.

They pull up to the Paz’s apartment building and Toni sends a text to them like they told her to. She watches as one of the lights in the apartment comes on and the window opens up. Toni gets out of the car and climbs into the truck bed to be seen better, and Paz speaks.

"How many?" 

"Four."

"You leave the bike?"

"Yeah."

"You tell them who I am?"

"No, I know how much you like to make an entrance and introduction."

It's silent for a moment before Paz shines a large flashlight down, flashes it twice in the same spot, and then throws something out the window. Toni knows it's the keys to the building so she turns on her own flashlight and gets them from that spot they pointed out to her. This is not the first time she’s done this. Paz has given her a safe haven when her boys couldn’t, because that’s what family does. She gets the keys and they all make it into the building and to Paz’s door no problem. Before Toni can knock, the door swings open wide to see a smiling Paz wearing black sweat pants and a long sleeve shirt with a rip on the right shoulder. 

“Snake eyes nice to see you, and these three white people. Come on in!”

”I’m Latina.”

”Two white people my mistake, you just have an air of privilege about you so I assumed.”

They give Paz a wide berth as they enter the room, wary of their strong personality at such a late hour. Toni stays close to Cheryl as they sit on the fairly nice couches in the living room. Paz flutters around the apartment humming quietly under their breath as she does. They set a tray of food and water bottles on the coffee table before sitting down and putting their head in their hand so and facing the four of them.

”So...I was the last resort wasn’t I?”

”Why ask a question you already know the answer to?”

”Touché lil snake. Do you think they want to know?”

”Of course they do, they’re just weirded out by your positive attitude at two in the morning.”

“Yeah I’ve been told that I’m off putting at first meeting. Hello I’m Paz, my pronouns are they/them, and I’m Toni’s cousin.”

”Is Paz short for something?”

”Topaz. It’s like right there. What do you need snake eyes?”

”A place to stay. For me and...my girlfriend. She can’t go home, not after tonight.”

”You’ve always had a room here Toni, no matter what my terrible father did. The favor was called and I have to say yes no questions asked. The room is yours to share.”

Cheryl breathes a sigh in relief. She doesn’t have to go home, at least not yet. She has time to figure out what she does next. She does worry about Nana Blossom but she has her own safety to think about right now. 

“Paz can I ask a question.”

”Only if I can ask one after?”

”Okay. What did Toni do to have you owing a favor?”

”She and the serpents beat up a bunch of homophobic jerks that were harassing me because I was flirting with the wrong girl at the White Wyrm. I’ve owed her ever since, and that was a year ago. My question is is for the girlfriend, why are you running away?”

"My horrible mother turned out to also be homophobic, she sent me to Conversion therapy.”

”Sorry to hear that, the fact that we live in a town that still does it is terrible in its own right let alone that people use it. Feels like we’re still in the fifties. Anyway I’ll let you get sorted out for the night. Are you two staying as well?”

”Uh no we just wanted to make sure Cheryl was staying in an okay place before we left. Come on Kevin let’s go.”

“It was nice meeting you Paz.”

”You know where I live now, don’t be a stranger.”

Veronica and Kevin leave and Paz watches from the window until they can’t see the truck anymore. They turn back to the other two still sitting on the couch and nods again. 

“Turn everything off when you’re done T, I’m going to bed.”

”Night Paz.”

”Goodnight Cheryl.”

”Goodnight Paz.”

The two teens watch as Paz walks into their room for the rest of the night. Both of them turn off all the lights and Toni leads her to the back bedroom that was her bedroom up until this point. Toni gave Cheryl comfortable clothes to change into at the trailer so she could go right to sleep, but Toni still needs to change. She does so quickly, living with her uncle made her good at that. She slides in the bed and holds Cheryl close until she falls asleep and then Toni does too. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I heard Toni was basically homeless so I decided to fix that.


	2. The Morning After

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Cheryl gets used to her new normal, luckily she has Paz and Toni to help her along.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Paz is a protective big cousin and probably the best parent ever. She's been doing it of not even five hours.

Cheryl took a long time to get to sleep. She tried not to sleep as much for the three days she was with the sisters, so while she was exhausted, she couldn’t really sleep. Toni’s arms wrapped around her helped slightly but it still took an hour for her to relax enough to sleep. When she wakes up it’s four hours later from when they laid down and it doesn’t feel like she actually slept at all. Toni's surprisingly strong arms are still wrapped around her waist protectively. And while Toni is the smaller of the two of them, it does feel nice to be held like this. 

She gently removes the arms from around her and sits up. Toni moves a little when she does but she stays asleep for the most part while she gets out of bed. Cheryl slips on the socks Toni gave her last night and makes her way out of the room to the bathroom. Her eyes are a little puffy from all the crying she's done in the last few days, not as bad as when JJ passed, but still noticeable. She notices in a cup on the sink there are three toothbrushes. One blue, green, and a red one still in the packaging and Cheryl assumes it's for her. 

She washes her face with water and brushes her teeth with the red brush and heads into the kitchen. Paz is already up and moving around the kitchen with a pair of headphones on. They're making breakfast while dancing to something she can’t hear and Cheryl watches from the doorway amused until they notice her. 

"Good morning Red! Like my dance moves?"

"They are way better than mine and a sight to see at seven in the morning."

"Yeah well nothing wakes me up like music and I normally blast it through my speakers, but I have roommates now so headphones."

Paz smiles at her and Cheryl gets choked up at the thought of living here.

"You would just let me stay here?"

"Well you can't really go home it's dangerous to your wellbeing and mental health, and there’s no way I’m letting you live on the streets in this horrible town. I may not have much but I have a spare bed and a couch that's pretty comfortable to sleep on. You have a place here if you want it."

"You don't even know me. You would really let me stay here?"

"Yeah well when you and your friends don't have much growing up, you learned to share. Either that or you got beat up for NOT sharing."

"Thank you. When I get my inheritance, I will pay you back for your kindness."

"Nah you keep it, I'm not doing this to get something in return that’s kind of the point of kindness. You just clean up after yourself and make my lil cousin happy and I'm good."

"I'll do my best."

"Excellent. Now, what do you want for breakfast? You have time for a plate of my famous eggs before school."

Cheryl smiles at Paz, starting to feel more comfortable around the adult than she did last night. 

"I'll be the judge of if they deserve to be called famous. Toast and bacon if you have it."

Paz smirks, seeing the attitude of the girl that their little cousin has told her so much about for the first time. They get to work making the teen her breakfast, serving it up on the nice plates and not the plastic ones she normally uses. Before the two of them can eat Toni enters the room with sleep tousled hair, since she didn't wrap her hair before bed the night before. She takes stock of the room first and heads to the fridge.

She touches Cheryl on the shoulder as she passes and hugs Paz before pulling down cups and grabbing orange juice out of the fridge. They move around each other with ease, showing Cheryl that this is a sort of routine between them. She can hear them talking to each other but decides not to intrude upon the two cousins. They remind her of how she used to be with JJ, in their own little world away from everyone and everything else.

The three of them eat together while Paz’s music plays over the speakers quietly. Paz is cracking jokes with Toni and Cheryl smiles as she watches them interact. 

“Paz can I ask you a question?”

”Go ahead Red.”

”What do you do for a living?”

”I’m a super. I fix up this building so one day the people that live on the Southside won’t have to live in trailer parks. It may not be my dream come true career but I’m good at it and it pays for the roof over my head.”

”What’s your dream career?”

”To be a writer. There is very little non-binary representation in media and I want to change that. Being a super during the day pays the bills while I write at night.”

”I hope you get to tell your stories to people. I would love to hear them.”

”I might make you read something of mine one of these days. How is your breakfast by the way? Do the eggs live up to being called famous by the infamous Cheryl Blossom?”

Toni watches the two of them interact like a tennis match over her cup of juice. Paz gets along with almost everyone they’ve ever met, and watching Cheryl interact with them is like watching her two worlds collide. Paz is like the only member of her family that has no criminal background and therefore a black sheep in the Topaz family. She’s also the only one to go to college but that’s not important right now. 

“Okay here’s another one for you. Are you a member of the serpents?”

”Nope, I was offered an in but I declined.”

”How do you feel about Toni being one then?”

”I love snake eyes, but she is a tiny bisexual black girl that had no one to protect her while I was away at school so I understood why she joined. If I was home when she was given the choice her decision might have been different, but I love her all the same. If I have to bail her out of jail because of gang activity one day then I will, because family is family.”

”So you’ll stick by her no matter what?”

”If she sticks to her morals and does right by herself, then yeah I will. I will always have lil snake’s back.”

“She’s lucky to have you in her life.”

”And she is sitting right here telling you that we will be late for school if we don’t get ready now because we don’t have my bike with me.”

”I can go get it for you where is it?”

”The Pembrooke penthouses on the north side.”

Paz nods to themself, downs their orange juice in one gulp, and starts gathering their things and slipping on shoes to get the bike. Toni stands up too, a confused look on her face and question on her lips. Cheryl looks at Toni and Paz for a moment and starts to clear the table of the plates they used.

”Okay I’ll be back you two better be dressed when I get back. I’ll drive you to school!”

“Wouldn’t it be better to get dressed and go with you so we can just keep going to school? You don’t have to drive us.”

”Nah I think Red needs a minute or two alone with you. It’ll be quick, promise.”

”How would you even get the - and they’re gone. Well might as well get dressed.”

“I don’t have anything. No underwear, clothes, nothing.”

”I prepared for that, follow me please.”

Toni pulls Cheryl back to the bedroom and pulls out one of the duffel bags she got from the trailer last night. She looks through one switches to another one and then for the third one and finally finds what she’s looking for. 

“Okay that took longer than I anticipated. But before we got you I had a lot time on my hands, so I went shopping. So you have some things, don’t know if they’ll fit you but you do have a few things.”

Toni pulls out a pack of Hanes underwear sized medium, toiletries, and a sketch book and art pencils. She can tell there are more things in the bag, but she smiles at the gesture all the same.

”You can borrow something of mine for today because it’s Friday, and after school we need to get as much money from your accounts that we can before your mom freezes them. It’ll probably be a while before you’re back to your standard of living bombshell.”

”And I am nothing if not adaptable. It’s very sweet that you got me a few things to get by for the next few days including a makeup kit.”

”Yeah I didn’t think that would go over well with other people.”

”A potential blackface scandal avoided thanks to you my dear. I’m going to pick out something to wear, you go get ready.”

”Okay I’ll be ten minutes tops, fifteen at the longest.”

Toni grabs her clothes she picked out before eating breakfast and heads to shower with a parting kiss. As Cheryl looks through Toni's clothes she finds a red crop top in one of the drawers and the pants Toni wore to the drag race in the closet. Toni has probably been living here for a while because the closet and the dressers are almost filled with clothes. It's nice to know that her...girlfriend had a safe haven to come to if she needed it. 

That word is going to take some getting used to. Girlfriend. She doesn't know if they are actually girlfriends yet, they kissed, but they haven't really talked about it. She's sure that Toni only told Paz that they were because it was easier to explain that way. Cheryl doesn't think she's ready for everything being with Toni will bring her but she wants to be happy and this morning is the happiest she's been in a long time. She knows it won't last, not with her mother on the warpath to get rid of her like she is. 

The door opens and slams signaling Paz’s return, and if she wasn't sure who it was they start talking as soon as the door closes. Their voice gets closer to her as they walk through the apartment, meaning that they're coming towards her in the bedroom.

"I'm back! Talked to your friend that was here last night and she gave me some stuff for your girl. Oh she's in the shower, well this is for you then Red. From Veronica."

"What did she talk to you about?"

"Just wanted to make sure you were okay and to give me this. She sounded relieved that you were okay."

"I don't need her handouts."

"That's what this is not Red. It's help not handouts, lay your pride down for a moment it needs to rest."

"You sure have a creative way with words."

"Thank you kindly, sarcasm or not that was a compliment. Let the people that care about you care about you. Especially when you need it."

Paz hands her the bag with a gentle smile and Cheryl takes it from them.

"Why do you call me red?"

"It's a nickname. I'm quite partial to giving them to people that I like, some people even have multiple. Why does it make you uncomfortable? I can stop and just call you Cheryl."

"No, it's fine I was just wondering. I'm partial to nicknames too, but sometimes for the opposite reason. How many does Toni have?"

"Uhhh five. Some snake related and the others are related to her height in some way. I make up new ones depending on my mood.

"She is very short, I don't know how she wants us to share pants. I’m going to look ridiculous.”

"Yeah that's going to be a bit of a stretch."

"I can hear you, I'm not that short!"

"Sure you aren't Garden Snake."

"Garden Snake?"

"A tiny little snake that likes bright flowers. It works I'm keeping it."

"Whatever, Cheryl you can go shower now. I need to talk to my big cousin for a moment."

"There is a pair of shower shoes in a basket next to the tub if you need them, never been used."

"Thank you Paz.”

”You are welcome.”

The two cousins are quiet as Cheryl gathers her things and leaves to shower. Toni sits on the bed in the newly vacated spot next to Paz. They're both silent until the sound of the shower fills their ears. 

"You good?"

"I have no idea, but I'm the best I've been in a while."

"It took you way too long T. Way too long, I was worried sick about you!”

"I know but I'm fine now-"

"Are you?! I know what my bastard of a father is like, I know how he gets. Every scar, every bruise every single scratch. I knew they weren't all from brawls with the serpents because you wouldn't have come to me to stay here if they were.

"Paz look at me. I'm fine you didn’t fail. I could handle him."

Paz stands and starts to pace, way to impassioned to her baby cousin’s wellbeing. God their aunt told them to watch out for Toni and they just left her to deal with their abusive father. They’re all Toni has left and they failed to protect her no matter if she says otherwise.

"No, you are a teeny tiny seventeen year old with inflated confidence! He could pick you up and throw you if he felt so inclined. I could handle him, not you."

"You were the one that taught me how to fight after my dad died. You don't think you're a good teacher?"

"Why do you think I taught you and why do you think I learned? To stand a chance against that asshole! And no I’m not a good teacher, I failed you. No matter what you say."

Toni pulls Paz back down to sit on the bed and leans her head on their shoulder and she feels them relax and lean on her too. Paz intertwines their fingers for extra comfort during this hard conversation.

"I'm sorry."

"Don't. Don't apologize, makes it seem like it's your fault. It's not your fault."

"Don't let him take me from you. I want to stay here, I’m not going back."

"We can talk to CPS about it, and even if they won't I promise you that if he comes near you that I will kill him."

”I love you Michelle.”

”I love you too Antoinette, but I think we should stick to our nicknames. Full names are so not our thing.”

”I agree.”

The two cousins sidehug and right as they pull apart the sound of the shower stops. 

“It’s nice to have someone to vent to every once in a while.”

”I’m always here to keep you steady, and you have that beautiful red head in the bathroom too. You don’t have to be strong all the time.”

Cheryl walks in at that moment and they both look up at the sight of her. Paz smiles wide at the sight of her.

“Well, this looks more like the Cheryl Blossom I’ve heard all about. Pleasure to officially meet you.”

”All yours I’m sure, I am amazing.”

Toni chuckles at the show that is the Cheryl Bombshell Blossom: Queen Of Riverdale. It’s funny, Toni always saw through the mask before she knew Cheryl. She always saw past it, and as she learned more about her she realized the reason she had one at all. Watching the smirk and hair flip come out with Paz makes her chuckle at how fake it all is. She can’t believe anyone is afraid of this girl at school. She’s a damn kitten.

“Okay, I need to get you two to school we will be cutting it close.”

”You don’t have to drive us if you got my bike.”

”Adult in the room here says no motorcycle today. I’m driving you and picking you up, and that is not up for debate. Her mom is probably going to come after you, you don’t need her arresting you for kidnapping. Give it the weekend. Trust me.”

”She’s right TT, mommy dearest would flip your saving me into some racist homophobic kidnapping and forge a ransom note to get you arrested. Paz is just trying to protect you.”

Pax points to Cheryl and nods with a “see?” expression on their face, so Toni just sighs and stands to grab her jacket. 

”Fine, but I don’t like it. Let’s go.”

Paz drives them to the school and keeps going into town, saying they need supplies and keys made for the apartment for the two of them. No one pays much attention to them outside of a glance once or twice as they head to their lockers. Veronica comes up to them almost as she sees them. Toni places a hand on Cheryl’s back lightly and moves back to make room at the locker.

”Didn’t think you would show up today? Paz told me you would but I wanted to see for myself.”

”Oh please Ronnie, if my mother scared me as much as she thinks she does I would never leave my house. I do have to thank you though, for helping Toni last night, even though you both were wearing the most inappropriate outfits for a rescue mission. Because really TT? Did you have nothing else black besides mesh?”

”It was all packed up that was all I had. Are you really complaining about how hot I looked?”

”Yes! That room was very dark I couldn’t really see your amazing outfit until we got to Paz’s and then I couldn’t enjoy it because I was exhausted.”

”I’ll just have to wear it for you again sometime.”

”Okay the flirting is something I’ll have to get used to but I’m glad you’re okay Cheryl.”

”I am certain that you will keep your newfound knowledge about my sexuality to yourself Lodge? I would like to come out on my own terms and dramatically as possible.”

Toni rolls her eyes behind Cheryl so only Veronica sees her.

”Of course, if there is anything a Lodge knows how to do, it’s keep a secret.”

”Good. Run along now we all have places to be.”

Cheryl slams her locker with a flourish and struts down the hall to class leaving the two women of color behind. Toni rolls her eyes again but watches her girl as she does what she does best, make an entrance. The two of them spend most of their day apart but do spend lunch in the lounge together. Cheryl is playing with her fingers and smiling a real smile for the first time all day. Toni is smitten with this woman and doesn’t care who knows it, which is good because she knows Kevin is watching them from the vending machine.

”So, what are you going to do know that you’re free?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I ended it right at that moment because we know what happens next they showed us. Hope you enjoyed this I enjoyed writing and bringing it to you. Maybe I’ll write a sequel or another story in this universe but who knows? Later.


End file.
